First, a quick admission. We had Cheesecake Factory again last night. Laaaaawd help me, I am obsessed. Those taquitos… once they hit your lips… and that cheesecake. Well, obvs.

Ok, so you know Tori Spelling, right? Ok, stupid question. I think it’s safe to say that we all know quite a bit about her. But here’s something you may not know… she has PHENOMENAL TASTE IN VOW RENEWAL PARTY DECOR. The photos you are about to behold were snapped by the amazing Elizabeth Messina, and they are TO DIE. Simply, TO DIE.

Hellooooo amazetastic detail inspiration! How’s it goin’?

WHOOOOOAAAAAAA!!!!!! Right? Am I right?

I mean, seriously, how much are you loving this? Because I’m just sitting here, in awe of how much I actually adore each of these details. And not in a hyperbolic blogger sense. I mean it. If I was standing right now, and I saw these images, I’d probably faint 0ut of – ok, now we’re getting hyperbolic. Lemme bring it back down a notch. But seriously, I am crazy about Tori and Dean’s taste in decor and if I had the honor of Tori planning my affair, I swear to the heavens, I’d give her carte blanche. I’d honestly let go of the reigns entirely, and let her run free and style away. Don’t believe me? Well, unfortunately I won’t get to prove it to you because Tori’s probably busy. I could check… but yeah that’s not happening. But if she was into it? You’d see. Yeah, you’d see. Carte blanche.

Now, aren’t these the cutest?

The typewriter and wall of photos are both killing me with their charm.

And now for my favorite board of all: the yellow motorcycle slash chalkboard inspired signage slash pool with a flower pom board. Oh heaven, I have found you here on Earth. In Tori and Dean’s vow renewal party. Who knew?

I know you guys are obsessing over the chalkboards. I know. And I’m right there with you.

By the way, here’s a photo of the cute couple and their darling little bebez:

Let me know how you all feel about this decor inspiration. Do you like it, love it, or – the most extreme – want more of it? Chime in! By the way, hope you’re having a pleasant little hump day. Ahhh, Wednesdays, how I sort of {heart} you, but not really.

Ok, I am obsessed with a lot of things. (You’ll likely remember this thing, which has a lot in common with today’s post.) Frankly, I don’t know how I make it through the day with so many obsessions in tow. I see something I love (aka a new obsession), I jot it down on one of myriad post-its or leave the tab open on my browser, next to the 47 other tabs that are currently open (shh, don’t tell AppleCare about that). So you get it. I get obsessed with something unique/uniquely pretty/uniquely fantastical/uniquely priced for the value/etc. And I keep it, on paper or open indefinitely in a browser tab. And Smilebooth is no different. In fact it hails from tab No. 4 in my Firefox browser, which means me loved it long time. (Note: I have Firefox and Safari open concurrently, as I need access to two email accounts – you know how we do).

There are sooooo many reasons to love Smilebooth. I love the people I met who operate it (they are radically nice, polite and all around good people); I love the concept; I love the memories created; I love the ease of use/interactiveness, etc. See? Lots of reasons. Ok, great. But there’s something I love even more than any of that, combined…

And it’s photo booth BACKDROP INSPIRATION! Behoooold:

And what’s more? They don’t just do the pictures and leave the backdrop entirely to you (unless that’s what you want, of course). They can create a CUSTOM BACKDROP for your special event! THIS IS SO RAD I AM GOING TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK, ACK, ACK, ACK, ACK, ACK.

Check it: you really can go in any direction you want with this…

FYI: I think it’s BYOC (bring your own costume)…

Here’s the skinny from the source:

We will work one on one with you to create an environment for your Smilebooth that gets your guests excited and adds that special touch to your photos. We can design the backdrop to compliment your wedding/event and carry out its overall theme. Or we can create something completely outrageous and different!

Love it. How fun does designing a custom backdrop for your photo booth photos sound? Because I think it sounds the funnest. I also don’t think anyone’s questioning that. However, you’re free to go backdropless, if you dig a clean look:

See? It’s all about giving great face.

Actually, all you really need is a bunch of rad, free people who aren’t afraid to let loose and be a little silly on film. Yeah, I have friends like that. Fer. Sure. And now I’m getting excited about the kind of Smilebooth experience I could have here. Ok, this is a must.

{By the way, for those who are interested, you can get that blue dress above at Lulu*s (show below in white and coral). You’re welcome.}

Anyway, as I was saying, I am deeply in love with the Smilebooth concept, and wholeheartedly recommend hiring them for your festivity, whatever it may be. Want to check out more photos? Take a trip on over to the raddest of blogs, run by Matt of Our Labor of Love, to check out some killer Smilebooth craziness. Personally, I can’t get enough. For example, check out this masterpiece I grabbed from Matt’s blog:

How freaking brilliant is all of that. Smilebooth rules.

So, what do you think? Do you love the idea of designing your own backdrop? Would it be colorful or bare? Or is this just not for you? Chime in; I’m dying to know what you think!

Happy Monday, you crazy kids. How were your weekends? Do anything special? Fiancé and I spent a nice, calm summer day with my Popsicle et al and, all in all, it was pretty relaxing. (Plus, I made a cake!) By the way, to all the brides who got married on Father’s Day: I couldn’t imagine a more wonderful gift to your dad than to let him walk you down the aisle on such a meaningful day. Both my Dad and I are major proponents of the idea! So congrats to any of you who got hitched on Sunday – well played!

(Like the shoes? You might love the Badgley Mischka Randee featured in this post. Btw, if you like ruffled things, here’s my fave quilt EVER.)

Alright, today I’ve got a couple of things I thought I’d share with you, the first of which I’m going to pepper in throughout all the chatter of the second one…

So, number one = totally stylish bridal look inspiration, as photographed by the endlessly creative genius that is Elizabeth Messina and;

Number two = details about how my Dad spent his Father’s Day. Plus, I’ve got a comment on good parenting at end of this post. Well, more like an excellent quote on the topic. Not that you care, but I’m sharing anyway. (;

* * *

Ok, I am obsessed with this bride’s style, and think you might be, too.

* * *

Back to Dad’s Day… some of you might remember that little bit of unsolicited advice I dispensed about Father’s Day at the very end of this post right here; well, I like to make a habit of taking my own medicine, which translates into the kind of Father’s Day we gave the ol’ patriarch. So, how did he spend his day? Exactly the way he wanted to (most activities done with his loving wife by his side):

-watched his morning news programs

-watched Italy and New Zealand end in a tie

-went for a walk

-had a heart to heart with his kidsters

-took a shower

-went to a friend’s barbeque

-got heartwarming cards and calls from each of his kids

-watched a bunch of golf

-took a break to have dinner with us

-watched the end of the golf

-had an amaaaaazing black and white (choc/vanilla) cake with sprinkles, made by yours truly

Because yesterday was Father’s Day, and because proper parenting is so important and so little advice is given to those who don’t actively seek it out, I thought today would be the perfect day to include a passage my fiancé brought to my attention. It’s by the great Kahlil Gibran, author of “The Prophet.” I don’t have kids, so I’m no authority by any stretch, but I’ve got to believe this is one of the smartest bits of thought on the subject of parenting, imo:

-♡-

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you,

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends with you His might that His arrows might go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

~ Kahlil Gibran

Hope you enjoyed both bits of this post! I’m curious, what do you think of today’s bride’s style? Are you into the ruffle-mania, the statement headgear, the whole shebang? Share your thoughts, either way!

Ok, so let me just say that the response to this has been AMAZEBALLS. (Thank you, Michelle Ward, for turning me on to that one, by the way.) I mean, I knew you guys would be into it, and I also knew you all had some pretty amazing stories to tell, but HELLO. My inbox is flooded with heartwarming, well thought out, totally surprising, totally inspiring proposal stories that had me sitting on the edge of my seat yesterday with a tissue box at the ready. And I have to say – the most surprising thing of all, so far? The stories that have come in from the guys out there. I don’t know how you came upon the site, where from or who recommended you visit, but I am SO GLAD YOU FOUND ME. Because your proposal stories/photos/videos are RULING. And by the way? The stories I’m getting from all my females out there are equally as awesome – please don’t get me wrong, ladies. I just felt compelled to give a z100 shout out to the fellas submitting their love-laden stories to the blog. I didn’t expect it and it has made my year! (Seriously, just wait until you read/see/watch these things. I cannot wait to share them all!!!)

* * *

MARKETING & FIANCÉS

Fun fact: the fiancé has been mostly a back-end guy (SHUT UP) when it comes to the site here. However, recently he’s been trying his hand at a little TKB promotion. He asked me some time ago for a handful of my business cards, with the intention of handing them to engaged girls near his workplace. Every day he says he sees ladies with huge rocks on their fingers and he calls them all “missed opportunities.” (In a business sense, not a nailing sense, obvs.) He’s really serious about this, and because I admire his business sense, and have always felt I can trust his public and interpersonal appropriateness, I thought, hey, why not? It’s not my first choice marketing approach, but he certainly wasn’t reinventing the wheel. Well, last night I saw him in action…

Scenario one: He spies a young woman with a ginormous engagement ring. STOPS in the middle of the crosswalk. RUNS TO CATCH UP WITH HER. She’s listening to music and walking briskly. Taps her on the shoulder and somewhat smoothly shoves the card in her face. RUNS AWAY FROM HER AND BACK TO ME.

Scenario dos: notices a young couple sitting a couple tables away from us at dinner. Asks me: “can you tell if she’s wearing just an engagement ring, or both an engagement ring and a wedding ring?” Me: “Why.” Him: “You know why.” I’m already a little wary of what’s about to go down, but I decide to go along with it, and I peer over to check her finger. It’s dark, I’m half-committed to the operation anyway, and so I can’t make out anything. Me: “Can’t tell.” Him: I THINK IT’S ONE… I’M GOING FOR IT…” Me: “No… wait, WHAT? No… ok fine.” (He’s already up when I say ok fine.) She gets up, he asks her if she’s engaged or married… WEIRDED. OUT. She says, “umm… I’m married.” He still gives her the card because how weird would that have been if he just walked away from the scene?! Card wasted? check. Girl sufficiently weirded out? check. Valiant, if misguided, effort by the fiancé? check.

I took the remaining cards back. Actually, I didn’t have to say anything – he handed them over.

I am rethinking this approach. But even more, I’m waiting for these girls to leave comments on the blog. I expect they will go something a-like a-this:

“umm, hi alison, I like your site, I’m glad some random dude accosted me on the street/while I was enjoying dinner with my husband in a restaurant and shoved your card in my face. I know I gave him the dirtiest of looks when he turned around, but your business card is kickass and I just had to visit. So all in all, a win-win!”

Quick reminder that Father’s Day is June 20th this year. So if you’ve got a Hubby or Popsicle (that’s what I affectionately call my Dad; yeah, you can steal it) who deserves a little special treatment, DO SOMETHING for him. No pressure. But keep in mind the fact that the World Cup games may be slightly more important to the man than family time in a cabin upstate. Just sayin’. She learned the hard way.

xoxo! -Alison

I almost forgot to ask: what are your thoughts on today’s obsessions – any standout faves? And if you don’t feel like talking about that, then what are your plans for Father’s Day, if any?

This space in my heart is in the shape of you. No one else can fit in. Why would I want them to? – Jeanette Winterson

That quote is from the wedding stationery of one of the couples I’ve featured below. And I adore it.

* * *

Hello and happy Tuesday, peeps! More on that beautiful bedroom scene above in a minute. Now, listen up, my georgishmorgies!

As a wedding blogger, I read about and hear proposal stories all the goshdarn day. And you know what? I’m getting really sic… just kidding. I quite like it. No, I LOVE IT. And it’s come to the point where I seriously want some more of it.

Which brings me to my first order of news: word of this has circulated around the Twittersphere quite a bit already, but I’d like to formally announce it today, on zee blog. I’m planning to do a series on proposal stories from you guys – that’s right, my dear readers! – and submissions are being accepted, yo. I am so excited about the stories I’ve received already, and I just KNOW there are some pretty amazing/fun/romantic/long-planned stories still sitting out there in your minds, waiting to be featured. So, if you’d like to be considered for a proposal feature on The Knotty Bride, by all means, have at it! Be as talkative/detail-oriented/short and sweet/foul-mouthed as you’d like. (To the foul-mouthed: ye shall be edited, slightly… but not as much as you might expect.)

The bare necessities… the simple, bare necessities:

1. The story of how your lover proposed (yes, I just linked to that hilarity again, thank you very much).

2. Photos from your engagement session or, if you did not have an e-session, high quality images of you and your beloved. Note: a photo (taken by anyone) of the site of the proposal is preferred, but not required.

And this wedding, also by Audrey Hannah, for the beautiful crying, striking eyes and detail love below:

Note: this is so what would be going down between my Mom and me. SO. Except this bride’s crying face is cute. Mine? Not so much.

-♡-

This show. Because she and I have the same first name. And that’s the only reason. By the way, Frank seems nice; I like his passion. And I haaaaaaaaate the R.I. lawyer. Haaaaaaaaaate. Plus he calls her sweetie, like, twice, the moment he meets her. He’s creepy and conceited and she shall not pick him.Also, Kasey sounds like he has a family of frogs in his throat. WHAT IS UP with that.

-♡-

Aaaaand finally, this color palette (when I saw the below on Etsy, my mind went wild with wedding color scheme inspiration. I cannot begin to tell you how perfect these colors are… please consider them… you will make my year):

Do you recall that first photo I featured from Moko and Jovita’s wedding? Well, a couple of their pre-wedding photos were used to create that display. And if you liked that, ooooohhoohhoooo… you are gonna love the crap outta this…

It’s couples and pictures like these that make my brain go wild with ideas. Amazing, outlandish, colortastic and cripplingly plentiful ideas. And then, as per usual, indecision prevails. But it’s super fun to stare at the decisions others have made! And these are the most creative I’ve seen all week! Enjoy: {Continue reading…}

This wedding has made me fall deeply in love with the idea of having a wedding. Don’t get me wrong; I adore weddings in general (I mean, YOU KNOW THIS). But this wedding makes me excited for every bride who gets to design her day with awesome vendors and an awesome husband and what is clearly awesome design-mindedness. But really, it’s the dreaminess of the pictures that did it for me. Dreamy, ever-so-slightly-out-of-focus photos are soooooooo the number one thing in my book (aside from making sure you love the person you’re marrying, but that goes without saying… or does it?).

And by the way, her bridesmaids = ADORABLENESS. Their shoes = ADORABLENESS to the MAX.

You know what today’s couple has? The right idea, that’s what. When Doug and Courtney – the husband and wife team of Blue Dandelion Photography – sent me the e-session of Sara and Dustin, my excitement dial went from zero to eeelevuhn within seconds. It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for balloonaction. But make ‘em all different colors and then you’re just spoiling me. As if that wasn’t enough, what really got me going was the unique approach the couple took to their shoot. It made me think to myself, “self, this couple knows what it’s all about…”

.

As you’re about to see, this shoot is dripping with playfulness that screams of a couple comfortable in love. Ok, here it comes…

(… Uh-oh…)

* * *

Before the big reveal, check out what Doug and Courtney had to say about the couple and the plan:

For Sara and Dustin, they approached us in spring after their friends signed on with Blue Dandelion. They are instantly excitable (in the good sort of way), and Sara has this ability to glean laughter from the most subtle points. When we discussed their engagement shoot, they really wanted to take it in a different direction. She said, “Dustin and I, while totally in love, are not the overly romantic type. We were hoping our pictures could highlight our ‘goofy’ side.” What could be more fitting than balloons, be it filled with air – or water! We simply had a blast doing the shoot, including dodging cars (unsuccessfully) early on, crawling around storm drains and down railroad tracks, and concluding with our waterworks.

* * *

Ok, here’s the money shot!

WHAM! Excellent shot, girlfriend!

* * *

I love how keeping it real for these two has very little to do with romantic poses and everything to do with having massive amounts of silly fun with one another.

Now, SERIOUSLY, how many girls do you know who are willing to get soaked during their ENGAGEMENT SHOOTS? Some of you may be thinking, “I’d so be game for that,” but really think about it. … Would you? I’d like to think I’d be down, but I honestly don’t know. And that’s why I love Sara.

.

I don’t know these two personally, but I have a feeling we’d make fast friends. Any girl who doesn’t mind getting her hair a little wet while getting her picture taken is a girl I admire.

* * *

Moral of the story: stay true to you and what you want/who you are as a couple, and everything will work out just as it should. Also, water balloons make for AMAZING E-SESSION PICTURES. I mean, how much do you envy these photos? I now officially need to experience a shoot like this; I don’t think I have a single photo of myself completely soaked and I have an inexplicable longing to change that now.

So, what do you guys think of this shoot? Are you digging the “let’s just have a load of fun today” approach this couple chose to take? Would you water balloon it up for your shoot? I’m dying to hear your take on this, whatever it may be!!!

Ok, first things first: thank you guys SO MUCH for all the rad feedback on yesterday’s post. I don’t know if you realize this, but when you comment and tweet (and even email me!) with your individual doses of love re: an idea I’ve shared or story I’ve told, it just makes my freaking day. Don’t think I don’t check the comments and click my Twitter name to see who’s mentioned me, because I do. And the great thing is that each time I do, I’m reminded yet again how lucky I am to be a part of such a positive, supportive and inspiring community of people. If you were here right now, beside me, I’d kiss you full on the lips. Nothing weird. Just a passionate kiss between friends.

Ok, on to the main event…

Want a beautiful, heartwarming e-session? Awesome, I just happen to have one right here.

I’m really excited today because I get to share with you guys what I think is a seriously fab idea for your wedding centerpieces.

But I’d also like to tell a story today about computer love and how opposites attract, so let’s begin with story time, and then jump right back into today’s feature. Ok, here we go… hope you enjoy!

* * *

As many of you know, I own an iMac, and I make love to it on a daily basis, for upwards of ten hours. It’s a steamy love affair; I seem to know just the right buttons to push. And though sometimes I worry I’m maxing out his resources, all it really takes is a quick shutdown and restart for him to feel completely recharged and ready to take me on for another go. Of course, we have our moments but, all in all, I love my iMac and, though he doesn’t talk much (save for a thunderous roar every time I turn him on), I’m pretty certain my iMac loves me.

But my iMac is a desktop. He keeps me chained to my desk, and I don’t appreciate it. In fact, I’ve grown to resent it. I need to roam free, where the grass grows and the inspiration flows. And I want to have the option to take him along with me, should the mood strike to write a post while I’m out and about. So recently I’ve been pondering what it would be like to have a MacBook Pro. I have a MacBook already, but he’s from my college years and way too overworked and immature to handle my needs these days. Plus, his battery life is crap. He’s a three minute man.

It has taken me months to get comfortable with the idea of taking on another Mac, but, in weighing my options and my needs, I’ve determined that for me and my projects to be able to grow, I must be free to move about the cabin of life. … and blog from there. (–Ohhh how cool am I.)

Ok, now here’s where my significant other comes into the story (and please note ~ for today, I will refer to my significant other as “Fancy Pants McGee” or “Fancy P. McGee” – and quite possibly F.P. McGee or FPM if I get tired – from here on out, as I see fit):

So, I told Fancy P. McGee that I’d finally broken down and decided that I do need a laptop. I had done some research (aka, clicked one button) and found that a student discount would shave MAX $150 off the retail price of the MacBook Pro I was eyeing. Our conversation went as follows:

FPM: That’s great! What do Anthropologie dresses cost these days? You could probably get two for $150 – you should do that with the money!

ME: First of all, no I couldn’t. $150 would buy me ahh dress, not two, or maybe a pair of jeans at Anthro. But as far as the comp goes, it’s gonna cost between $1k and $2K, and a student discount will save me around $150, but I’ll still be in the hole $1500. Not coming out on top here. No net profit.

FPM: Yeah, no I get it, babe. What I’m saying is you’ll have saved $150, so you should treat yourself to that much in fashions. (Ok, he didn’t call them fashions, I only wish he had. Dwight from Real Housewives of ATL has been repeating “fashion show with no fashions” all day in my head, so that’s where that came from.)

ME: I should spend the saved money? I don’t understand. I’ll be out $1500.

FPM: You save $150 with the discount, so you’ll have $150 left over that you wouldn’t have had without the discount.

ME: OMG. I get it now. This is found money to you!

-♡-

This is one way in which Fancy P. and I could not be more dissimilar. Could not. But here’s the moral of the story: we often seek out mates with traits we wish we had more of in ourselves. I’m a saver-to-the-max, and wish I felt comfortable parting with a little discretionary income every so often. Kidding, I don’t have “discretionary income.” That’s a term that entitled folk invented to feel better about buying gilded furniture and designing themed rooms in their homes instead of helping others.

But yeah, I do wish I felt a little more comfortable spending on myself every once in a while. And that’s where Fancy Pants comes in. I’ve tamed his ways considerably, but he’s still got that itch to spend coursing through his veins. And sometimes, it’s not such a bad thing to let it run wild. But only sometimes. … like with bed purchases. (Most of you guys know what I’m talking about; more on that in the future!)

* * *

Ok, back to the centerpieces!

Bettula is one of the many amazing vendors I encountered at Renegade this past weekend. With Bettula, Heather Fagan has created a line of vases (not to mention other home decor, art and even jewelry) all made from repurposed birch bark. How cool is she and how rad is that? And how fab does it all look?

I think these vases would work so well as centerpieces. Place flowers or plants of your choice in vases of varying heights, and you’ve got some serious eye candy for your guests to ogle while they eat. I adore the natural ones, but those gold numbers are incredibly flashtastic if you ask me. Of course, you’ll want to go with what works for your color scheme.

(This girl was really into the display – like, really – so I chose not to disturb her. It’s only when I see the photos in their full glory that I realize asking her to step away for a moment would have been the wisest choice of all. I will remember this lesson for next time.)

Like Heather’s work? Think you might fancy the idea of using her vases for some centerpiece action? Go ahead and check out her Etsy shop!

So, what do you guys think? Would you throw some flowers/candles/succulents into these babies, delicately place them on your tables and call it a day? Are they wedding worthy in your book? Tell me the truth; I’m really curious what you think!

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a marvelous weekend! The boy and I spent some time at Renegade Craft Fair on Sunday and aside from the gale-force winds and intermittent murderous rain droplets, it was a pretty fun experience. More on that a bit later in the week. And by the way, no I didn’t drag him. He came willingly. But I should note that I’ve sat through my – and your – fair share of uneventful baseball games. (I say “uneventful” because I rather enjoy the eventful ones. No matter the sport. Well, save for soccer. “Uneventful” games are those that even the guys don’t really enjoy, but they watch, just in case something happens. They are a FUN FAIL.)

Ok, so here’s the news: I love banners. Look, if you will, at the banner-related adorableness below, which I plucked from a past post.

Ok, so given my penchant for the above, I think it’s quite obvious why I lurve this DIY project from Martha. It combines my unwavering obsession with beautiful, easy DIY projects with my love for all things involving and/or related to typography. Hence, my happiness over this find.

By the way, you do know how much I love typography… right? Here‘s your proof. Here, too. And here. If you needed it.

Also, I’m pretty sure there’s no confusion out there over whether or not I go batty over beautiful, eye-catching DIY ideas and free printables meant to make a bride’s wedding day that extra bit of special we all crave… but here‘s the proof on that, too. Want some more? No problem; why don’t you check out this partial list of my posted projects and printables! Hope you enjoy!

… And the list goes on, of course. So, yeah, I really enjoy doing it [my]self.

* * *

Wedding banners have been around for a long time; everyone has seen the words “Just Married” – the most traditional phrase – on at least one rear window, bike seat, or even cake topper in their lives…

Oohh, speaking of toppers…

(Click the topper to go to that post!)

However, maybe you’re looking for something much more unique in your wedding banner, but don’t really want to have to make it yourself? Or, maybe you’re searching for a less classic/traditional look in your banner. Of course, that’s no problem at all these days, given the choices that have come out of the woodwork over the past several years. There are a number of vendors out there who would be thrilled to help you out with that.

Hope you enjoyed this one! Let me know – are you a fan of wedding/e-session banners? I think it’s obvious that I am, but I’m super curious what you guys think. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts! And if you’re ambivalent, you can just tell me about your weekend. (:

Hello and happy Friday, everybody! How we doin’ today, eh? Doin’ well? I sure hope so. The weekend is upon us, so that means fun in the sun if all goes according to plan. Anyone have any interesting plans for the ol’ Sat-to-Sun? Me, I kinda feel like hiking again. You discover really cool things when you hike, like wedding venues. Yeah, totally serious. The boy and I plan to re-scope out this random beautiful joint upon which we stumbled while on a hike just north of the city a couple of weekends ago. I shall report back once the verdict on its quality is in. (:

Anywho, while we continue working out our server switcheroonie, as some of you have coined it (which I love and have now adopted), I thought I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring some seriously fabulous finds I managed to scoop up this week. So, here we go!

First up, a few killer details from one seriously UN.BE.LIEV.ABLE wedding, as photographed by – who else – Max Wanger, and featured on 100 Layer Cake. Le sigh. I shall dream about this beach wedding forever and always. Its colors, textures and characters (of the human sort) are the stuff of inspiration shoots, not real-life weddings. So this rocks it to the fullest. And by the way, PERSONALIZED BEACH TOWEL FAVORS ALERT!

Ok, this wedding featured on Style Me Pretty straight-up-now-tell-me blew me away. But most weddings involving horses (not pictured here) tend to blow me away, because, I mean, how did they get horses involved in their wedding? You know? It seems so involved. Do these people own horses? Do they find a horse – I dunno, farm, and shoot there so that it looks like horses attended their wedding? Does the New York Times write, “the wedding was well-attended; also, they had horses” because you can’t ignore the horse-factor. It’s a huge factor. It’s the elephant at the wedding, essentially. (Can you tell that I’m up way past my bedtime right now? It gets crazier and crazier.)

By the way, obsessed with the bouquet. Obsessed. It’s sort of EXACTLY RIGHT.

My good friend Melissa, of The Loveliest Day, made quite a stir in her new role blogging for Ruffled with one seriously sparkle-rific wedding dress… and not to mention super hunky groom. Super. Hunky. (Massive congrats, Melissa! Sooo freaking awesome.) Here’s a lil taste of the fabulosity that awaits you.

Coveting the incredibly laid-back but terrifically chic style of this bang-sporting bride. And just LOOK at that sassy feather statement necklace she’s got on!! Does it NOT fit perfectly with that gown? J’adore. Plus, you guys know how much I love a good bang! Hair, we’re talking hair. (… But I like the other kind, too, obvs.)

I don’t know about you, but for me, a red velvet cupcake + a mason jar = the cutest, tastiest thing possible. I am loving this as wedding favors, especially with the spoons tied to the jars with – my favorite – baker’s twine! Most of you know I have a love affair with the stuff. (Yes, it’s under control now.) I found this awesomeness over on With This Ring, and she found it, plus instructions on cakies blog!

Here’s the supplies list, courtesy of cakies, if you’re interested in trying your hand at these babies:

Ooh, one more thing… you see the chic young lady at the tippy top of this post? Well, her name’s Andi, and she has a blog. On that blog, she posted the musical stylings of the fabulous Diane Birch, and I just seriously have to share this with all of you, if you haven’t already heard of her. Because she’s a whole lotta wonderful.

Ok, I get that these are some pretty REDONK finds I’ve got here today. They may in fact be so fabulous that deciding on a favorite is super way hard. But whatev who cares – I really wanna know so I’m still asking. (:

So, do tell: which of these is/are most inspiring to YOU? Lemme know. I can’t wait to hear!!!

Love all of this...

Hi everyone! Ok, so I have some exciting news today… We’re switching hosting providers! WOOHOO! Ok, that may not sound all that exciting to you, but for us, it means the end of a long, loooooong road of issues (slow loading; server error msgs; etc.) that were only recently revealed to be entirely the fault of our previous hosting provider, ShmoShmaddy.*

*Names have been changed to protect offending parties.

Anyway, it’s quite possible that there will be some downtime today while we migrate from one server to another much better, more reliable one, but I didn’t want to leave you with nothing to ogle at… that just wouldn’t be right. So, below are images linking to my guest posts over on Style Me Pretty, if you’re interested in a little inspiration right about now. Click on the pics to be taken to the weddings! (Hope you enjoy!)

Alright… sit tight… we’re gonna scoot our back-end over to Bluehost now. (You’ll know when we’ve switched, because we’ll be way faster, and way happier.) Of course, feel free to browse as you would normally – as long as the site’s up, all is accessible. But if you find that the site’s down at any point today, please know that it’s due to our migration to a different server, and that it’s only temporary. So please do check back soon!

And, by the way, THANK YOU, EVERYONE, for all of the amazing support you’ve all given us throughout this whole process. It’s so good to finally be getting back on track, now that we know GoDaddy was the culprit all along. Sheesh. But really, you guys, you don’t know how much your support has meant to us. Please know that we love you so much, and we can’t wait to continue bringing the inspiration to your face once this server switchover is complete.

Ok, before I get into what the above is all about, I just wanna say that I really hope everyone had themselves super enjoyable/rewarding/relaxing Memorial Day weekends! For the most part, the weather ’round here was ridiculously gorgeous, and it seemed pretty hard not to have a good time, regardless of what we were doing. In fact, just stepping outside made my day. Though playing a little tennis and getting half my body into a pool certainly didn’t hurt matters. What does that mean? That means that I was faced with frigid pool waters, and I was the only one – among numerous children – who could not get my body to dip past the belly button point. What I had always believed to be the most difficult body part to submerge, the “undercarriage,” was already safely tucked beneath the icy surf. But the water remained intolerable. Mind you, six-year-olds with arm floaties were all around me, having a collective ball. And I’m sure none of them quite understood or cared about what I was going through. I seriously hung there, perched with my ass beneath the water line. Oh, the shame. (For the record, it was really, really cold.)

But I did push the fiancé in the pool about five times. That was awesome. Mainly because I always waited until his body had warmed sufficiently to make the cold water startling again. Good times!! (;

Anyway, y’all know how much I love Martha Stewart, right? Well, it’s almost as much as I love southern dialects. But seriously, I cherish Martha Stewart Weddings for all the DIY goodies and inspiration the resource always has to offer. So I decided to sort through it all and I’ve collected a hefty bunch of my favorites for your consideration. I hope you love!

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So, you see those jam jars up top? Ok, well I am OBSESSED with their lid labels. Completely obsessed. Jam jars are such a popular idea for weddings these days, and these labels are my current favorite way to top them! Get the clip art here!

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Totally in lust with this idea. Make your girls their very own lace clutches! How gorgeous are these? Not to mention crazy simple to create – all there is to do is print the clip art onto heat-transfer paper, then just iron the designs onto fabric! Get the clip art here!

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I seriously covet these monogram labels; they’re just perfect for your favor boxes, and whatever else you’d like to monogram! :) Get the clip art here!

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I absolutely adore these place card designs and highly recommend them for your wedding. They’re really quite elegant, and all you need to do is print them on preperforated card stock. Done and done! Get the clip art here!

How about creating your own uniquely designed cookie tins with Martha’s download-and-print doily labels? I know – so cute. They come in red, blue, and green, too. Get the clip art here!

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I am in love with the beauty of these custom Blueprint wrapping papers!!! I think they’d look amazing as part of your decor. There are five in all, and only Martha has them. Pretty rad. Get them here!

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Last but not least, there’s this too adorable cookie gift sleeve label. You have a whole bunch of different label options, for pretty much any occasion (for a wedding, go with “for you to enjoy“). All you’ll need besides the clip art are CD envelopes and adhesive paper. Get the clip art here!

So, what do you think? Do any of these catch your eye as a fabulous DIY? I’m curious what you guys think!

After at least a month of server error messages, random admin logouts and a constantly spotty at best site connection, GoDaddy FINALLY admitted yesterday that it’s their servers, and not anything we’re doing wrong. This, after being told upwards of 40 times that it’s something we’re doing wrong. I kid you not. Upwards of 40 times. Finally, after much anguish and through-the-night-every-night-troubleshooting on our part, downloading and restoring databases, uninstalling, installing and reconfiguring plugins, tears (yeah, I cried a lot, I’ll admit it), GoDaddy revealed yesterday that “certain servers are not functioning properly.” That my site “is on the list of affected sites.” That they’ve “got their best guys on the job.” Progress thus far? “Umm, well we haven’t solved it yet.” When will it be solved – ballpark? “We can’t seem to pinpoint the problem, because, you see, we aren’t seeing the error messages that everyone else is seeing outside of our network. So we’re having trouble figuring out why the servers are malfunctioning… but we’re hard at work on it.” Can you do something, like migrate me to a new server that isn’t shitty? “No, nope, we can’t do that. Sorry.” Really? “Yeah, sorry. That’s not something we can do.” Oh.

Can you stand it?

I can’t anymore. So I’m letting the world know, after too many sleepless nights and lost traffic.

GoDaddy is dishonest and chooses to blame the customer for its own failures. The people on the front lines have been as kind as possible, but their supervisors have perpetuated a cover-up, and are hardly if at all concerned with customer satisfaction.

That’s all for now. Just thought I should spread the word at this point, since I am now aware that this is a widespread problem, and that GoDaddy is not making efforts to alert anyone affected.

Lastly, THANK YOU to everyone who contacted me to see what was wrong with the site and where it disappears to at random times throughout the day. I can’t tell you how much we’ve appreciated your concern. Thanks so much for caring! At least we finally have the knowledge that weren’t doing anything wrong this whole entire time. But it certainly doesn’t make it any less frustrating.

I’ll be providing updates, mostly on twitter, regarding GoDaddy’s behavior and how things progress as far as how we decide to proceed from here. I hope there aren’t too many of you experiencing these same issues! It’s traumatizing, truly.

Hey party people! I hope you’re all having nice little Fridays wherever you are. Memorial Day weekend fast approaches, and I’m sure you’re psyched to get out of the office and into a boat/bar/your lover’s arms/what have you. But before you do, you might be interested to see what I’ve gathered up this week… (:

I have to show you this, because it is a reason to live… if you look for reasons to live in your wedding blogs. I hinted at its furious awesomeness in last week’s FFF, but it bears repeating and expanding.

The wedding of Junia and Andres, photographed by the amazing Sarah Yates, was featured on Style Me Pretty by Erin Lepperd of Erin Ever After, a very prolific partner in guest blogging crime over on SMP (not to mention, one of my favorite blogger broads)… and it is the end. The end, my friend. The end of any sadness, any inspiration drought you may be having, the end of suffering, the end of you doing any more work at your 9-5. You’re done. Because you’re going to stare at THIS for the remainder of your day.

Note: my Mom practically begged me to let her buy me those succulent candles on a trip to Crate & Barrel. I didn’t let her because I didn’t have a need for them and because I’m crazy. Aren’t they precious?

How much do you LOVE Erin for blogging that freaking phenomenal wedding?!! A bushel? A peck? A hug around the neck? I love her a barrel and an effing HEAP. Thank you, Erin, for bringing me enough inspiration to last me through the weekend. The wedding of Junia and Andres will be in my dreams – both the day and the night kinds.

By the way, you totally have to check out the rad-ass Portland, Oregon wedding feature I have going up on SMP today. No, seriously. No. SERIOUSLY. When it’s up (I’ll update this post), check it out, and then GO TO THE GALLERY. It is sick.

So, you know that dress I mentioned yesterday in my after-post thoughts? The short and sweet sassy piece about which I was so excited? Well, here it is… along with a few of its very close friends. What do they have in common, besides awesomeness? I = OBSESSED WITH THEM.

The moment I laid my eyes on its floral appliqué, I was sold. No really, I’m not kidding. Many of you may remember the various times I’ve alluded to – or just straight out mentioned – my natural tendency to be a saver. Well, when I saw this textured beauty, here’s how it went down: I clicked the link, added the dress to my “shopping cart,” entered my credit card information and completed the purchase, all in a matter of seconds. NO HESITATION. That was once unfathomable to me. To my friends and family, even! I didn’t think I was even capable of such reckless spending abandon. But… here we are.

… And I couldn’t be happier. (Of course, I’ll be sure to update you guys on whether or not that changes when the dress actually arrives at my doorstep. Moment of truth awaits!) FYI: I spotted this BCBGMAXAZRIA stunner on the lovely Nancy’s So Happi Berries!

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Update: It came and I LOVE IT!!!!!! Even the fiancé admires the texture and pattern of the material. Which weirded me out more than it got me excited!

Ok, now for some dress action courtesy of my beloved LuLu’s! We all know how much I adore this little online boutique and its excellent e-session-appropriate offerings. (As evidenced here and here.) Well, recently, I’ve been just as pleased with the lighter, more creamy-colored looks they’ve added to their delightful selection.

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had fantastic weekends. We went hiking, which = awesomeness. And afterward we stumbled upon the cutest little wedding location… more on that, later. Now, on to more important things… like THIS:

Esmé satin platform sandals

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Have you heard? I’m sure you’ve seen chatter about this, but do you know the unbelievable news, in full? First this happened, and now this is happening ↘

That’s right; J.Crew is opening its very own Bridal Boutique, right in the heart of New York City. This is kind of a big deal. And here’s why: I love a lot of what J.Crew offers in its wedding line. Like, overall, love it. Love a handful of wedding gowns, looooove a lot of their bridesmaids dresses, and adoooore their bitty baby frocks (aka flower girl looks). What do I hate? That I CAN’T TRY ANY OF THEM ON.

I’m really looking forward to just plain loving everything about J.Crew’s bridal line, now that they’re opening a store at 769 Madison Avenue, right down the block from where I live – just kidding, I so don’t live on Madison Avenue. But it’s a nice little ride on the train from where I’m located, and I will be taking that ride as soon as this boutique opens. Hallelujah, J.Crew. You finally opened a freaking bridal shop. Jeez. Took you long enough. (Awww, you know I’m hard on you because I love you.)

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Now, while I enjoy their bridal gowns immensely, I have a little news for you… it’s really their bridesmaids’ gowns that rock my socks off. In fact, I think I’d even consider wearing one of them on my wedding day. Whoa! Yes, I know, weird. (Well, really only if I did the City Hall thing.) But seriously, if you take a look at them… well, they’re just gorgeous. So I HIIIGHLY recommend handing each of your maids a swatch and sending them on their merry way to find the perfect dress for your big day. Ooh, and some jewelry and shoes to match. :D

(I feel compelled to note here that it’s a real shame they don’t put their magazine images online – pretty much none of these pics do the dresses justice. Like, at all. Please order the catalog; so much better – so much more eye candy to eat up. Believe me.)

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Silk taffeta Clementine dress

Silk chiffon Taryn dress

Silk taffeta Lorelei dress

Cotton cady Madeleine dress

Jewelry!!!

Pearl and silk wrapped necklace – natural

More jewelry…

MORE jewelry!!!

Another shoe (!!!)…

This one’s the Nicolette strappy heel

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So, are you interested in having a consultation (aka try-on-fest!) with one of their bridal consultants? Great news: even though they’re not set to open until early this Summer, they’re already taking appointments. Which is interesting to me. Anyway, want one? Just email Kate@j.crew.com!

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xoxo! -Alison

Ooh, I almost forgot! Two things:

1) For everyone who was subjected to my teaser about a certain “PERFECT GOWN” the other day on Twitter, fear not; I will be revealing this incredible find (not J.Crew, by the way) in the near future. Quick hint: it’s got it all.

2) I found the CUTEST LITTLE SHORT WHITE DRESS the other day. I’m seriously going to post about it this week, I think tomorrow. It’s sooooo cute. Just wait ’til you see it!!!!!

As I write this post, I’m trying to time the exit of a huge fly with the opening of my screen door. 3 failed attempts. Fly concussion imminent. But it’s his fault, because he needs to give me a warning or something, instead of repeatedly popping out of the woodwork, bee-lining it and then slamming face-first into the screen, all in one fell swoop. Each time, it’s like I never had a chance! And I haven’t even mentioned that I was sitting in the sun during lunchtime, so my legs are hot and they’re sticking to the faux leather of my work chair each time I get up to assist the fly in his great escape. So that hurts.

Quick Fab Find break before I continue complaining ~ this I found on one of my regular trips to check out Sarah Yates‘ work:

How much do you LOVE those bouquets?!! How much? Seriously, I’m asking.

By the way, I’m bumming a little bit because one of those really tiny red bugs somehow got into my iMac and has been aimlessly jetting around ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF MY SCREEN. Apparently, there’s a space between the graphics that show up on your computer and the area where BUGS CAN WALK AROUND. He’s existing in that purgatory, and at this very moment heading straight for where I’m typing. It’s really weird/annoying/cool/sad. Like Fantastic Voyage meets A Bug’s Life. My main concern at this point is that he doesn’t drag any bug poop around the inside of my screen. I haven’t yet had a chance to think of the long-term effects of his strolls on my eyes and temper. This is harsh, but I hope he either finds the exit soon, or dies in one of the corners.

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Moving on… I found some pretty amazing stuff recently, and I am more excited than usual to share it all with you. But first, have you seen my Style Me Pretty guest post this week? It’s not your typical affair, not by a long shot. In fact, it’s kind of the cutest thing ever; the design is completely devoted to the way the groom met his bride. It’s a BASEBALL THEME WEDDING, by Amorology!!! Here’s one board, of many:

Obsessed with this bride and her sassypants headpiece made by Erin Cole, which and who I discovered while visiting my good friend Abby’s lovely blog, Life in the Super Burbs! This wedding has it all; beautiful people, Southern charm, exquisite lighting, amazing details and, what I consider the best part of all, it was shot by the ladies of SimplyBloom. Which, of course, means guaranteed photo perfection. Ok, headpiece time!

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LOVE this from my girl holdin’ it down in far away Portugal… the crazy awesome Sofia of Brancoprata!

It’s no secret how much I love the Wedding Chicks and what they bring to the community every single day out here in wedding bloggerland. No exception with this baby! I am seriously LOVING this e-session they featured; it was inspired by one of my fave animated movies, UP!

By the way, the dress is from Anthro – remember when I featured it? Still in love.

By the by, the bug inside my screen is now fretting horribly, and bouncing around the bottom the way those little balls bounce on words in a song on TV so kids can follow along. You know what I’m talking about? He’s trying for an exit every millisecond along the bottom, and it looks exactly like he’s trying to help me sing a song with the right cadence. Gosh this is really sad for him. But seriously he needs to get the eff outta my screen.

Kisses!

-SupercALIfragilisticexpialidocious

P.S. – anyone have any interesting plans for the weekend? I do, but they’re secret. MUHAHHAAHAH.

People, LOOK what you can do with doilies! I mean, flimsy freaking doilies! It’s seriously a thrill and a half sometimes, to see what my fellow bloggers have come up with. Two Brunettes teamed up with Cyd from The Sweestest Occasion and Ami of Elizabeth Anne Designs and came out of the whole thing with all the delicate loveliness you see below.

I’m really feeling everything about this table design. But there’s a special place in my heart for those lovely wide cyan ribbons they’ve added as accents to the dessert jars...

Two Brunettes created the place cards and gift tags, and Ami was responsible for an inspiration board that brought this little shoot to life!

Listen, if there’s one thing you all know about me, it’s that I’m never, ever, eeeeverrrrr at a loss for words. I’m a writer; words are my friends. But with this wedding, I’m struggling to keep my jaw off the floor long enough to form a coherent sentence.

Jewelry-wise, bouquet-wise, dress-wise, tan-wise, everything-wise. It’s all chanting my name. Alison. Alison. Seriously, if you were sitting next to me right now, you’d think I was touching myself, what with the oooohhs and aaaahhhs that are pouring out of my mouth.

I’m truly in awe of every last bit of this affair, and I will still be in awe in the days and weeks that follow this single post. Because this is one of those rare moments when something that’s just too good to be true… is actually a real wedding.

I’m gonna say it – if I had to choose only ten weddings to take with me to a deserted island, I dare say with real conviction that this chic, stunning affair would be among them. The design touches – and, more importantly, the brilliance that Stephanie Williams employs in documenting them – just straight up take my breath away. This wedding turns the volume up to eeeleven. It’s just that good.

Here are some words from Stephanie:

Ashley + Derek are two wonderful people! They were married at the lovely Mary Star of the Sea church in La Jolla with reception at the Darlington House. We had so much fun documenting their wedding day, which was filled with family + friends – lots of dancing and a little Southern flare! Stephanie + Heather from Amorology did an amazing job coordinating the days events and all the lovely decor! Amazing cakes + desserts by Sweet Cheeks Baking Company. Gorgeous wedding dress by Anne Barge. Flowers by KLF Floral. Blue Breeze Band kept all the guests dancing! Delicious food by Tapendade.

(Two notes: 1. yes, this post is about shoes, but I’ll mostly be talking about how we spent Sunday afternoon, because that’s what’s in the forefront of my mind. 2. mattress manufacturer names have been changed to obvious, cute versions of themselves. Because who cares.)

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The fiancé and I spent the whole afternoon in Bloomingdale’s today, and it was heavenly. They were having a sale, and we were on a mission: to find the perfect mattress for our future. What does “the perfect mattress” mean to us? It means no back pain and a good, rhythmic bounce. Yep, wherever your mind just went with that, that’s what is meant by rhythmic bounce. And let’s just say we didn’t reject those Schmemperschmedics because they sleep hot; it was the complete, immobilizing absorption of movement that canned them for us. Because one thing I know for sure is that I don’t want to have to work out excessively just to be strong enough to counteract the quick-sand that is my foam mattress.

Anyway, crazy turn of events; somehow we entered the store through the shoe section. Oops! I didn’t side-track us for too long, but I definitely came across some numba one stunnas as I combed the rows and tables of designer shoe land (while he patiently waited). So, as you search for that perfect shoe for your wedding day, – whether it’s for you or for your bridesmaids – consider these, my top picks for that long, graceful (and hopefully not too painful) walk down the aisle!

… But, if you’ll indulge me, I’m going to get back to sharing this story from yesterday…

Ok, so if you Tweet with me, or if you’re one of my real-life friends to whom I bitch about how shittay our mattress is, then you already know that the boy and I have been on an odyssey for a half-way decent mattress for the last, say, entire length of our relationship. Let me start off by saying that we made the biggest mistake possible in the art of mattress buying when we went with “a connection” we thought we had at Schmeepy’s. This was a wrong assumption, and I still can’t believe we actually went and purchased something without first googling the company. We were morons back then – or as a therapist would say, we behaved moronically. (By the way, I’m shocked that the word “Googling” hasn’t reached WordPress dictionary status yet, according to my spell checker. Wow, I am also shocked that “WordPress” isn’t in my WordPress dictionary according to my spell checker. FAIL.) Long story short, be sure to google a company before you purchase a horrible mattress from them. And then have to stay home from work all day to have one of their independent contractors come to your apartment at her leisure and measure if the sagging is deep enough to warrant a replacement mattress. Which, by the way, is totally a matter of winning the independent contractor over, which we (I) did. But we got another shittay mattress to replace the first, so another fail. More shoes!

Moral of the story: unless you’re flat broke and there aren’t any available mattresses on the curb in or around the Lower East Side area of New York City, do not purchase a mattress from Cheapy’s. While we’ve all heard the occasional success story with that company, the Better Business Bureau has all the answers you’d ever need to prove it’s a doomsday scenario. More shoes!

A final note: we did leave having purchased a high quality mattress (yippee!!!). Once it arrives and I feel good enough about the purchase to spread the word about it, I will update you with the deets. But, given our previous record insofar as mattress selection, I can’t in good faith share the name before I feel confident we’ve got a winner. Cross your fingers, please! Last shoe!